Tag: display screens

The Future is Here: The ASB Glassfloor!

GlassFloor_TitelIt looks like something out of Tron, doesn’t it? In truth, its LED lights underneath a glass surface, but the end result is nothing short of awesome, not to mention convenient. It’s known as the ASB Glassfloor, the latest creation from German manufacturer Germany’s ASB Systembau. Using a system where an aluminum substructure supports the surface and LED’s provide light lines, a gymnasium or sports arena can be converted from a volleyball court, to a basketball court, to a series of tennis courts by simply pushing a button.

What’s more, ceramic dots on the glass re-create the feel of a wooden surface, while special etchings diffuse the LED light and prevent glare from bothering athletes. And for those who worry that the entire thing will shatter as soon as the home team takes the floor, know that this “glass” is actually a high-tech tempered security variety that is actually more durable and longer lasting than a conventional wood floor, meaning it can bear the weight of multiple teams, and is even available in different colors.

And finally, the company also indicated that since the floor’s are basically one large display device, that they can be programmed to broadcast ads in certain spaces, and that the entire floor itself can be turned into a single screen. Hence, while the player’s are playing, people can also enjoy small ads running in the end zone or sidelines, just in case they felt sports weren’t saturated by enough product placements! And at halftime, the floor can put on a show, either on its own or with the help of cheerleaders and a marching band.

My, with all the new display technologies and high-tech surfaces coming out, one would think the entire future is going to be made of “smart glass” and inundated with images and texts. Seems nobody can be satisfied with a simple, non-augmented window or floor anymore. Oh well, it looks cool and that’s what matters!

ASBGlassFloor-3xTo see the Glassfloor in action, click on the gif image above, or watch the video below:

“A Day Made of Glass”: The Future of Touchscreens

Earlier this week, I came across some interesting news regarding the creation of flexible, paper-thin displays. Known as AMOLED technology, companies like Samsung, Sony, Nokia, and other communication giants were all working towards the development of digital devices that would be controlled through manipulation and not touch. In addition, they would thinner and lighter than any and all previous digital devices, and virtually immune to destruction.

Well it seems that touch screens are not to be outdone yet. In the midst of all the fanfare about the future of communications and information technology, a company by the name of Corning had its own vision of things to come. In their world, display screens can and will be built into panes of what they call “Gorilla Glass”. These panes could be the screen on your next smartphone, or the window in your bathroom, the panels in your car, on a wall in the street, or the basis of portable computing.

Just imagine, information kiosks on the street made out of large panels of illuminated glass, tablets that are less than a centimeter thick and completely transparent, and a handheld mirror that can also receive text messages, email and incoming calls. Much like flexible displays, this sounds like something out of a truly awesome science fiction novel, or a somewhat awesome Hollywood approximation thereof.

For some time, speculative writers have predicted that the future of computing will lie in “smart surfaces” and “smart materials” that are composed of computers and displays so tiny, that any flat surface can be made into a dynamic display device or interface. Once again, it seems that reality is catching up to fiction, and not a moment too soon either! I don’t know about you, but it’s nice to learn about technological innovation that doesn’t evoke feelings of dystopia or apocalypticism.

Check out the video below to see what Corning has in mind and how they will likely effect future generations and how they interact with their everyday environment: